Multiple-container



Feb. 14, 1961 A. CAZENEUVE MULTIPLE-CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 23, 1956 FIG. 4

AXYNVENTOR.

AE/W/VOO CAZEA/fZ/VE United States PfltcntOi MULTIPLE-CONTAINER Armando Cazenenve, Buenos Aires, Argentina Filed Nov. 23, 1956, Senn -623,505 j 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-131) This invention relates to a multiple dispensing con tainer arrangement which is particularly suitable for gravity distribution of liquid or pulverulent substances, as well as for gravity distribution of granular materials of small particle size.

The multiple dispensing container arrangement comprises a stepped support structure which may be attached to a wall or to a partition, and which is formed with a row of aligned compartments each adapted to receive an inverted dispensing container. These containers are arranged in such a way as to constitute an assembly of aligned vertical elements, each element shorter than the previous one, and with thelongest element of the assembly closest to the wall on which the support structure is mounted. Thecontainers are maintained in a vertical position in order to facilitate a gravity dump. Their outlets are respectively located at difierent levels so that the outlet of the first container of maximum length is at a lower level than the outlet of the. somewhat shorter second container which latter is adjacent to the first container, and the outlet of the second container being in turn located at a lower level than theoutlet of the third container, and so on for the rest of the containers, constituting the multiple dispensing container arrangement of the invention. 1

Each container is provided with a transparent window which is formed in its frontwall, this window permitting an observation of thematerial contained in the respective container. Each window is provided in that zone of the respective container which is not obstructed by the adjacent shorter container located in front thereof.

Each container comprises a dispensing device which is connected to its lower end or outlet portion, this dispensing device controlling the discharge of material from the respective container. The dispensing device comprises a valve, such as a cock or faucet when the containers contain liquid matter, or a bottom-dump regulator when the containers contain pulverulent or granular matter.

One of the important advantages of the multiple dispensing container arrangement embodying my invention is the saving in space resulting from the mounting of the containers in a single row.

Another advantage of the arrangement is that the merchandise is readily identifiable by looking through the transparent windows provided in each container.

Still another advantage is that the merchandise may be readily discharged from the respective containers owing to the provision of the bottom dump and/ or of the liquid flow regulating dispensing devices provided at each outlet.

The invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of an arrangement comprising three inverted containers.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the lower part of an inverted container showing the means for attaching 2,971,678 Patented Feb. 14, 1961' the container to the support structure of the arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the multiple dispensing container arrangement showing the dispensing devices of all three containers.

Figs. 5 and 6 are bottom plan and side-elevational views, respectively, of a solids discharging or dispensing device in open position applied to the lower end of an inverted container,

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sectional and top plan views, respectively, of the dispensing device of Figs. 5 and 6 in sealing position.

According to Figs. 1 to 4, the multiple dispensing container arrangement comprises a stepped frame or support structure 1 which comprises an upright wall portion 2 adapted to be attached to a wall or to a partition, not shown.

The support structure 1 defines a series of aligned vertical compartments 1a, one for each inverted container, and each compartment houses a plate like retaining means 3 which may be engaged by suitable hooks 4 provided on each of three inverted containers 5, 6 and 7 so that each container is held in its respective compartment and is individually attached to the support structure 1 of the novel arrangement. The parts 3 and 4 constitute means for positioning and sustaining an inverted container in its compartment.

Figs. 1 and 2 clearly show that the containers 5, 6 and 7 are inverted and are held in vertical position within the compartments of the stepped support structure 1;

The containers are of difierent length, i.e. the length of the containers 5, 6 and 7 decreases in this order, which renders it possible to provide a transparent window;8 in the front wall of each container, preferably close to the lower ends'of the containers, so that all windows 8 are readily observable at all times because say the window 8- of the container 6 is at least partially below the level of the lower end of the container 7 but above the window 8 of the longest container 5.

The windows 8 reveal the contents of each container, thus facilitating the work of a person whose job is to dispense the products.

The outlet or lower end of each container is provided;

with a dispensing device for regulating the discharge of the pulverulent, granular or liquid product stored in the respective centainer. The reference numeral 9 denotes a valve, e.g. a faucet for the controlled discharge of liquid matter, and the numeral 10 indicates a dispensing and metering device for pulverulent and granular material. The valve 9 has a downwardly directed spout 9a.

According to Figs. 5 to 8, the dispensing device 10 for solid material comprises a bottom closure member 11 which is internally threaded and is connected with the externally threaded lower end of a container, this member 11 having an outlet tube or discharge spout 12. Within the bottom closure member body 11, there is provided a manually operable rotary valve means 13 having a portion adapted to obstruct the discharge opening of the tube 12 in a given position of the valve 13. This valve has another position in which its aperture or bore 14 is coaxial with the opening of the tube 12 thus rendering possible the discharge of the material contained in the container. The first position of the rotary valve 13 is illustrated in Fig. 8, the second position in Figs. 5 and 7. The bottom closure member 11 also comp-rises a preferably rectangular fiange 19, which, as best shown in Fig. 2, seals the open lower end of the respective compartment in the support structure 1 when the bottom closure member is secured to the respective container,

The valve 13 may be rotated by a handle 15 which is guided in a slot 16 formed in the member 11, as is shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the valve 9 and the handles 15 of progressively shorter containers 5, 6, 7 are vertically staggered with respect to each other so as to be readily accessible, from three sides, i.e. from the front and lateral sides of the containers.

In Figs. 1 and 4, the reference numerals 17 and 18 denote locking pins which constitute'additional means for attaching the containers to the support structure 1. The locking pins '17, 18 may be utilized in addition to or as substitutes for the means denoted by the numerals 3 and 4.

I claim: 7 p

1. A multiple dispensing container arrangement comprising, in combination, a stepped support structure, at least three aligned inverted vertical containers mounted in said support structure and each adapted to receive a liquid or a granular material, each container having a lower end with the lower end of the second container located at a level below the lower end of the first container and the lower end of the third container located at a level below the lower end of said second container; a downwardly directed spout connected to the lower end of each container; and valve means operatively associated with each spout for controlling the discharge of material from the respective container, thespout of said second container located at a level below the spout of said first container and the spout of said third container located at a level below the spout of said second container, whereby each of said spouts is freely accessible.

2. A multiple dispensing container arrangement comprising, in combination, a stepped support structure defining at least three'aligned vertical compartments each having an open lower end with the lower end of the second compartment located at a level below the lower end of the first compartment and the lower end of the third compartmentlocated at a level below the lower end of said second compartment; an inverted vertical con-' tainer received in each compartment, said containers adapted to receive a liquid or granular material and each having a lower end adjacent to the lower end of the respective compartment; a downwardly extending dispensing spout connected to the lower end of each container; and manually operable valve means connected with the lower end of each container and cooperatively associated with the' respective spout for opening and closing the same, the spout of the container in said second compartment located at a level below the spout of the container in said first container and the spout of the container in said third compartment located at a level below the u'poltt of the container in said second compartment, whereby each of said spouts is freely accessible.

3. A multiple dispensing container arrangement com prising, in combination, a stepped support structure defining at least three aligned vertical compartments each having an open lower end with the lower end of the sec- 0nd compartment located at a level below the lower end of the first compartment and the lower end of the third compartment located at a level below'the lower end of said second compartment; an inverted vertical container received in each compartment, said containers adapted to receive a liquid or granular material and each having an externally threaded lowerend adjacent to the lower end of the respective compartment; means connected with the support structure in said compartments and with said containers for positioning and for sustaining the containers in the respective compartments; a bottom closure member for each of said containers,'each bottom closure member comprising an internally threaded portion secured to the lower end of the respective container, a flange for sealing the lower end of the respective compartment, and a downwardly directed discharge spout; and valve means mounted in each of said bottom closure members and cooperatively associated with the respective spouts for opening and closing the same, each said 'valve means having handle means, the spout and the handle means of the container in said second compartment lo cated at a level below the spout and the handle means of the container in said first compartment and the spout and the handle means of the container in said third compartment located at a level below the spout and the handlemeans of the container in said second compartment,

whereby each of said spouts and each of said handle means is freely accessible.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

